title: [When the doctor becomes a patient: physician health in university hospitals in Alicante, Spain].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe health indicators and health determinants in a sample of hospital physicians.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional descriptive survey carried out between July 2010 and July 2011. The population of interest were physicians employed at the hospitals of Alicante, Elche and Sant Joan d'Alacant. This was a convenience sample from which we obtained 281 valid questionnaires (18.8% of the population). Study variables included perceived health status, lifestyle, working conditions and illness behavior. Frequencies and distributions of these variables were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, self-perceived health in our sample of doctors was good. Forty percent reported having a chronic illness and 64% self-medicated. Only 43% had seen their primary care physician since becoming physicians and 50% relied on informal "curbside" medical consultations. Less than 35% had undergone preventive exams. Most stated their work is never monotonous and described it as stressful and satisfactory. They also felt their work affected their health and generated stress and sleep disturbances.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, physician behavior with respect to illness was characterized by autonomy, informality and difficulty in assuming a sick role. Their preventive habits are insufficient. They consider that medical practice affects their health, generating stress and sleep disturbances.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Salud Pública, Historia de la Ciencia y Ginecología, Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche, Spain.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ramírez-Gil
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Toledo-Alfocea
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tosal-Herrero
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010361:Patients; D010820:Physicians; D012803:Sick Role; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires